द इण्डियन स्ट्रगल / भारतीय स्वाधीनता संग्राम (नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस - ऐतिहासिक विश्लेषण)

130 THE INDIAN STRUGGLE
the height of his glory and was expected to achieve great
things for his country. While in memoriam meetings and
processions were going on in the country, the British Cabinet
in London made up their mind as to what they should do.
Their arch-enemy was dead; therefore, things would settle
down now for a while. They would accordingly not decide
anything in a hurry but would watch developments. But
it had already been announced that Lord Birkenhead would
make an important pronouncement about India on July 7th,
1925. Therefore, the announcement carefully prepared on
behalf of the Cabinet had to be entirely suppressed and in its
place Lord Birkenhead, on the previously announced date,
made an uninteresting speech. Besides talking about plati-
tudes, he merely endorsed Lord Reading's panacea for India's
ills in the form of development of industry and the stabilisa-
tion of finance.
The death of the Deshbandhu on June 16th, 1925, was for
India a national calamity of the first magnitude. Though his
active political career consisted of barely five years, his rise
had been phenomenal. With the reckless abandon of a
Vaishnava devotee, he had plunged into the political move-
ment with heart and soul and he had given not only himself
but his all in the fight for Swaraj. When he died, whatever
worldly possessions he still had, were left to the nation. By
the Government he was both feared and admired. They feared
his strength, but admired his character. They knew that he
was a man of his word. They also knew, that though he was
a hard fighter, he was none the less a clean fighter and further,
he was also the man with whom they could bargain for a
settlement. He was clear-headed, his political instinct was
sound and unerring and unlike the Mahatma he was fully
conscious of the rôle he was to play in Indian politics. He
knew more than anyone else, that situations favourable for
wresting political power from the enemy do not come often
and when they do come, they do not last long. While the
crisis lasts, a bargain has to be struck. He knew also that to
sponsor a settlement, when public enthusiasm is at its height,
needs much courage and may involve a certain amount of
unpopularity. But he was nothing if not fearless. He was